TY - JOUR
T1 - Europe's Grand Canyon Nazare Submarine Canyon
AU - Tyler, Paul
AU - Amaro, Teresa
AU - Arzola, Raquel
AU - Cunha, Marina R.
AU - de Stigter, Henko
AU - Gooday, Margaret Ann
AU - Huvenne, Veerle
AU - Ingels, Jeroen
AU - Kiriakoulakis, Kostas
AU - Lastras, Galderic
AU - Masson, Douglas
AU - Oliveira, Anabela
AU - Pattenden, Abigail
AU - Vanreusel, Ann
AU - Van Weering, Tjeerd
AU - Vitorino, Joao
AU - Witte, Ursula Felicitas Marianne
AU - Wolff, George
PY - 2009/3
Y1 - 2009/3
N2 - The Nazare submarine canyon extends similar to 210 km westward from the coast of Portugal, down to a water depth of > 4300 m. The considerable habitat heterogeneity found throughout the canyon is affected by strong currents and high turbidity, especially in the upper parts of the canyon. The canyon morphology comprises steep slopes, scarps, terraces, and overhangs, and a deeply incised thalweg is found in the lower part of the canyon. The seabed within the canyon is composed of varying proportions of rock and sediments that range from sand to fine mud. This great variation in physical environment is reflected by the varied fauna inhabiting the canyon. Diversity tends to decrease with depth, but there is also continual replacement of species with increasing water depth. Certain groups, such as the gorgonians and sea lilies, tend to be found on rocky surfaces, while large protozoans dominate the sediments at 3400-m depth. In addition to describing the fauna of Nazare Canyon, we discuss experiments undertaken as part of the HERMES project to elucidate the ecosystem function processes operating in the deeper parts of the canyon.
AB - The Nazare submarine canyon extends similar to 210 km westward from the coast of Portugal, down to a water depth of > 4300 m. The considerable habitat heterogeneity found throughout the canyon is affected by strong currents and high turbidity, especially in the upper parts of the canyon. The canyon morphology comprises steep slopes, scarps, terraces, and overhangs, and a deeply incised thalweg is found in the lower part of the canyon. The seabed within the canyon is composed of varying proportions of rock and sediments that range from sand to fine mud. This great variation in physical environment is reflected by the varied fauna inhabiting the canyon. Diversity tends to decrease with depth, but there is also continual replacement of species with increasing water depth. Certain groups, such as the gorgonians and sea lilies, tend to be found on rocky surfaces, while large protozoans dominate the sediments at 3400-m depth. In addition to describing the fauna of Nazare Canyon, we discuss experiments undertaken as part of the HERMES project to elucidate the ecosystem function processes operating in the deeper parts of the canyon.
KW - Portugese Continental-Margin
KW - Iberian Margin
KW - Atlantic
M3 - Article
SN - 1054-6006
VL - 22
SP - 46
EP - 57
JO - Fisheries Oceanography
JF - Fisheries Oceanography
IS - 1
ER -